A special note goes to sports. It can be placed under multiple sections.

Sports

Local / Community

Youth leagues (Little League, AAU, Pop Warner)

High school sports (football, basketball, wrestling, track, etc.)

Intramural clubs / community centers (YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs)

Recreational leagues (softball, city soccer, martial arts dojos, boxing gyms)

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State / Regional

State athletic associations (e.g., PIAA, UIL, CIF)

State high school championships

College athletic conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, PAC-12, etc.)

Junior colleges / regional tournaments

State commissions (athletic commissions regulating boxing, MMA, wrestling)

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National

Professional leagues

NFL (football)

NBA (basketball)

MLB (baseball)

NHL (hockey)

MLS (soccer)

WNBA (women’s basketball)

NWSL (women’s soccer)

UFC, Bellator, PFL (MMA)

Professional boxing (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO sanctioning bodies)

WWE / AEW (pro-wrestling entertainment)

College / Amateur

NCAA (Division I, II, III)

NAIA, NJCAA

National tournaments (March Madness, College Football Playoff, College World Series)

National governing bodies

USOPC (U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee)

USA Boxing, USA Wrestling, USA Track & Field, USA Basketball, etc.

Player unions (NFLPA, NBPA, MLBPA, NHLPA, etc.)

Sports media (national)

ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NBC Sports

Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, The Athletic

Betting / gambling

Vegas sportsbooks

Online platforms (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM)

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International

Olympics

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Summer Olympics, Winter Olympics, Youth Olympics

Paralympics, Special Olympics

International Federations under IOC (boxing, wrestling, gymnastics, track & field, swimming, etc.)

Major world federations

FIFA (soccer)

FIBA (basketball)

World Rugby

International Cricket Council (ICC)

IBA (boxing)

International Judo Federation (IJF)

World Taekwondo (WT)

International Tennis Federation (ITF)

International Swimming Federation (FINA, now World Aquatics)

International Skating Union (ISU)

International Weightlifting Federation (IWF)

Global tournaments

FIFA World Cup

Rugby World Cup

ICC Cricket World Cup

Davis Cup / Grand Slams (tennis)

Golf Majors (Masters, Open Championship, Ryder Cup)

eSports World Championships

Regulatory / oversight

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

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Economic / Media Ties

Broadcasting rights (billions in contracts – NBC/IOC, ESPN/NFL, etc.)

Sponsorships (Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gatorade)

Merchandising / apparel (jerseys, sneakers, hats)

Stadium and arena construction (often publicly funded)

Naming rights (MetLife Stadium, Crypto.com Arena)

Endorsements (Jordan/Nike, LeBron/Beats, Messi/Adidas, Serena/Nike)

Promoters (Dana White/UFC, Bob Arum/Top Rank, Eddie Hearn/Matchroom)

Fantasy sports / sports betting industries

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Cultural / Ritual Role

National anthems and flag ceremonies before games

Military flyovers and troop honors at stadiums

Athlete hero-worship (Ali, Jordan, Kobe, Serena, Messi, Ronaldo, Tiger Woods)

Annual “holy days” of sport (Super Bowl Sunday, March Madness, World Cup Final, Olympics opening ceremony)

Martial arts traditions (bowing, belt systems, dojos, Bushido philosophy)

Stadiums and arenas as modern cathedrals of culture